Badgley Mischka, Coach take designs to digital world

(Reuters) – American fashion house Badgley Mischka and handbag maker Coach took a technology-focused approach as they presented their latest collections on the penultimate day of New York Fashion Week: The Shows.

The luxury brands showcased their work on the closely watched global stage and also on digital platforms. While Badgley Mischka debuted a new app that allowed attendees to rate the looks on the runway, Coach live-streamed its entire show on Instagram.

Though technology was at the forefront of both brands’ Fashion Week moments, the focus remained on the looks. At design duo Mark Badgley and James Mischka’s Fall 2018 presentation, a red brocade ball gown that harkened back to 17th century art stole the show.

“We were inspired by the painter Caravaggio and his beautiful use of ‘chiaroscuro,’ the effect of the darkness surrounding the light coming through the center,” James Mischka said. “So it inspired our fabrications, our colors, our prints for the beginning of the season.”

Coach opted for dark, taking its audience into the woods for its Fall 2018 collection, which featured fringe, velvet and leather.

The brand’s parent company Tapestry recently reported quarterly results that surpassed expectations due to strong demand for Coach handbags.

Models sporting the handbags and backpacks made their way down a foliage-covered catwalk in cowboy boots and prairie dresses as celebrities like Selena Gomez, one of the brand’s ambassadors, watched.